Machine for printing price tags for merchandise and the like



Sept. 21, 1954 A. A. KATZ MACHINE FOR PRINTING PRICE TAGS FOR MERCHANDISE AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 9, 1952 INVENTO. I .4691? a f;

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-ATTCIRNEYS Patented Sept. 21, 1954 .MACHINE FOB. PRINTING PRICE TAGS FOR MERCHANDISE AND THE LIKE Abe A. Katz, Dallas, Tex. Application October 9, 1952, Serial No. 313,857

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a printing machine, and more particularly to a printing machine for use in printing price tags and the like for merchandise.

The object of the inventionis to provide a printing machine which is especially suitable for use in printing tags such as price tagsfor merchandise, the machine of the present'invention eliminating the necessity of setting of'type by having the letters or figures directed into position for printing.

Another object of the invention is to provide'a printing machine which includes a series of concentrically arranged rings which have a plurality of letters/or figures thereon so that the letters or figures may be printed in a singleline, the printing being accomplished by a ribbon crossing the type and passing between the type and the tagsto be printed, the tags being tapped by a hammer to make the necessary impression.

A further object of the invention is toprovide a printing machine which is extremely simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and in which like numerals are used to designate like partsthroughout the same:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the printing machine of the present invention, with parts broken away and in section.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the printing machine.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the means for rotating the rings.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary top plan view, with parts broken away and in section.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6-5 of Figure 5.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral l designates a base which may be fabricated of any suitable material and the base [0 includes a horizontally disposed bottom wall II that is supported by flanges or legs I2, Figure 2. The base It! is provided with a recessed portion IQ for a purpose to be later described.

Arranged in spaced parallel relation above the bottom Wall H is a horizontally disposed platform or wall It. Extending upwardly from the platform is a plurality of spaced parallel vertically disposed sleeves [6 which are mounted on or supported on pins I! that extend from the platform I5. Arranged in concentric relation about the pins or sleeves i6 is a plurality of rotatable rings IS. The rings I8 vary in diameter and the upper surface of each of the rings ii? is provided with suitable markings l9, and the markings l9 may be either numerals or letters as desired.

A manually operable means is provided for rotating therings IE to the desired position, and this manually operable means comprises a plate 2!] which is slidably supported in the recessed portion M of the bottom wall H. Extending upwardly from the plate 20 or formed integral therewith is a lug 2|. A bracket 22 is secured to the top of the lug 2| by suitable securing elements such as screws 29, and the bracket 22 coacts with the top of the lug 2| to define therebetween a socket 23. Extending through the socket 223 is a handle or stem 25, and mounted on the handle 25 is a ball 24, the ball 24 being rotatably or swivelly mounted in the socket 23. A wheel 25 is mounted on the inner end of the handle 25, and thewheel 26 is adapted to move through the cut-out 21 in the platform l5 whereby the wheel 26 can be arranged in engagement with the lower surface of any of the rings It. A knurled knob 28 is mounted on the outer end of the handle 25 for manipulating the wheel 26. Thus, the user can slide the plate 213 along the recessed portion l4 until the wheelZt is below the ring l8 which is to be rotated. Then, the wheel 2% can be raised by handle 25 until it engages the lower surface of the ring [8 to be rotated, and then upon manual rotation of the knob 28 the ring it can be rotated to the desired location.

The upper surface of the plate 283 may be provided with a series of numerals or markings indicated by'the numeral 39, Figure 5, and by lining up any of the numerals on the upper surface of the plate 20 with the edge of the case or bottom wall, then the driving disc or wheel 25 can be located. Arranged in spaced parallel relation above the platform I5 is a cover or top 33. The cover 33 is provided with a pair of opposed aligned slots 3! and 32 for a purpose to be later described. The cover 33 may be detachably connected to the rest of the structure by suitable securing elements such as screws 34.

The numeral 35 designates a tape or ribbon which may have ink thereon, and the tape 35 extends over the slots 3|. One end of the tape 35 may be trained over a roller 36 which is rotatably supported by trunnions 37 in ears 38 that extend from the end of the machine. The other end of the tape 35 may be trained over a similar roller 39 which is rotatably supported in ears 43 by means of pins or trunnions All, the ears 43 extending from the opposite end of the machine. A suitable hammer 42 (broken lines Figure 3) is adapted to be used for causing the markings or indicia to be imprinted on the price tags or other material which pass beneath the hammer 12 and above the tape or ribbon 35. A knurled knob 4| is connected to the roller 39 whereby the tape 35 can be wound on the roller 39 as the tape or ribbon is used.

In use, the tags to be printed, which may be price tags for merchandise, are interposed between the hammer 42 and the tape or ribbon 35. The rings [8 are rotated individually until the desired arrangement of numbers or figures l9 are positioned below the slot 3|. The user can tell which numbers or figures are below the slot 3| by simply looking through the window or slot 32, since the numbers or letters on the rings 18 are such that when a number or letter appears below the slot 32 there is the corresponding number or letter below the slot 3|. The rings are manually rotated by means of the disc 26 which is turned by the knob 28, and the position of the plate 28 or disc 28 is ascertained by aligning the scale markings 38 with the edge of the base. The disc 26 engages the undersurface of the rings I8 so as to cause rotation of the rings I8. The ball 24 which is swivelly mounted in its socket permits the disc 28 to be shifted into and out operative position, and the knob 4| can be rotated in order to wind the tape 35 on its rolls.

The present invention uses a series of rings whereby twenty or more letters or figures may be printed on a line. Also, the present invention eliminates the setting of type by having the letter or figure dialed into position for printing. The printing is accomplished by a ribbon 35 which crosses the type on the upper surface of the rings I8, and the ribbon 35 passes between the type and the tag to be printed, the hammer 32 being tapped to make the necessary impression. The series of rings I8 are placed one within the other so that twenty or more letters or figures can be printed in a horizontal line. Sufiicient clearance is provided between the rings I8 to allow for free turning of any one ring without turning the others and each ring I8 may have a blank space so that letters or numbers may be omitted when necessary.

I claim:

1. A printing machine comprising a base, including a horizontally disposed bottom wall provided with a recess, vertically disposed legs for supporting said base, a platform arranged in spaced parallel relation above said bottom wall, a plurality of spaced parallel vertically disposed guide pins extending upwardly from said platform, a plurality of concentrically arranged rings having markings thereon rotatably arranged around said pins, a cover detachably mounted above said platform and provided with a pair of opposed aligned slots, a marking ribbon extending across one of said slots, the other of said slots permitting visual observation of the markings on said rings and manually operable means for rotating said rings, said manually operable means comprising a plate slidably arranged in said recess, a lug extending upwardly from said plate, a bracket connected to said lug and defining a socket therebetween, a handle having a ball thereon rotatably mounted in said socket, a knurled knob mounted on the outer end of said handle, there being a cut-out in said platform below one of said slots, and a wheel mounted on the inner end of said handle for projecting through said cut-out to selectively engage the lower surface of said rings.

2. A printing machine comprising a base including a bottom wall provided with a recess, legs for supporting said base, a platform arranged above said bottom wall, a plurality of guide pins extending upwardly from said plat form, a plurality of concentrically arranged rings having markings thereon rotatably arranged around said pins, a cover detachably mounted above said platform and provided with a pair of opposed aligned slots, a marking ribbon extending across one of said slots, the other of said slots permitting visual observation of the markings on said rings and manually operable means for rotating said rings, said manually operable means comprising a plate slidably arranged in said recess, a lug extending upwardly from said plate, a bracket connected to said lug and defining a socket therebetween, a handle having a ball thereon rotatably mounted in said socket, a knurled knob mounted on the outer end of said handle, there being a cut-out in said platform, and a wheel mounted on said handle for projecting through said cut-out to selectively engage the lower surface of said rings.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 125,788 Chamberlain Apr. 16, 1872 224,666 Emerson Feb. 17, 1880 607,270 Pastre et al July 12, 1898 628,147 Jones July 4, 1899 1,188,828 Putnam et al June 27, 1916 1,261,587 Mellor Apr. 2, 1918 1,845,792 Hoffman Feb. 16, 1932 2,351,281 Nachemov June 13, 1944 2,519,008 Weimont Aug. 15, 1953 

